Conversion
by Mesmeric.Midnight
Summary: It was only natural everything else changed too (femRyoma).
1. Chapter 1

Ryoma gathered her books as the bell signaled the end of the school day. Her classmates chatted joyfully and talked about club activities, but Ryoma remained silent. Making her way to the locker room to change out of her uniform, Ryoma's lips turned down. She had been accepted onto the women's tennis team, but it just wasn't the same as battling the boys. Earlier in the year she had sought after weekly matches with Monkey King and surprisingly enough, Kintaro. Many of her seniors and friends were all very busy preparing for exams and the world after Year 12. She had already lost Tezuka and Kawamura and could barely keep up with some of the others. It was early in the school year, but this would be the last time she would see many of her friends, teammates, and tennis opponents that had all aided her growth in tennis. School was important, and Ryoma knew she certainly spent more time on homework outside of class. Tennis was in her blood though. Still, she worked hard to keep her skills up to par and had instilled morning runs into her schedule.

Closing her locker and heading to the courts Ryoma pout gently turned into a smile. When she had entered junior high no one had known who she was. After an unforgettable first year at Seishun, her name had spread like wild fire, and she had only continued to climb higher. Entering senior high had been another eye-opener for the seniors that only remembered her as a rookie player in year 7. Her tennis skills were now close to surpassing her older brother's, but it wasn't just her skills that awed people. Spending many summers in New York visiting old friends and maintain her junior champion status, Ryoma didn't realize that those few months apart her image became that of a young woman. Puberty hit Ryoma like a high speed train. Starting school 5 centimeters higher, with more developed hips, and a light tan garnered quite a bit of attention.

She was unprepared for the new looks people gave her, but, like with most things, she adjusted. Returning to Japan, the old Ryoma would have probably only looked forward to tennis. The new more slightly mature Ryoma also thought about more. Which is why, she joined the women's tennis team first, then got to know her classmates (albeit at an arm's length), and started taking her studies more seriously (no matter high grades were required to stay on the tennis team).

Yes, Echizen Ryoma had changed.

Picking up her racket after the team warm up around the courts, Ryoma turned to face her opponent. She had met some notable female opponents, like her captain, but the real challenges were outside of her small school and around Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kanagawa. The Princess of Tennis still lived and breathed her sport, but even with her drive to succeed and one day beat her father, not even the slightly more mature Ryoma could ignore the changes that her peers, teammates, opponents, and friends had gone though.

Especially, the changes of one Atobe Keigo.

-xXx-

The crowds cheered loudly filling the area leaving no room for silence on the courts. Atobe Keigo sat with his team observing the opposing side while half listening to his own teammates. The King of Hyotei acknowledged how strong Seigaku had come after facing a challenging year finding new members and rebuilding their "dream team." However, this was his last year to take his team to the top, and he would not let Seigaku, or Rikkaidai for that matter, stand in his way. Atobe reminisced as the doubles two match began. His junior years were not his proudest moment. He had been stuck up and stubborn. And he would be the first to admit he was still a little bit of both. Life had changed for the heir after his father had a serious talk with him one day about what it meant to be head of the Atobe family and fortune. Even his mother had wanted him to go to Ouran and receive a "proper" education with the rest of the richest children in Japan in order to take over the business. Atobe fought tooth and nail to stay with his teammates, with his friends. He promised his father that he would be fully prepared to devote his life to the family business at Tokyo University _after_ he took his team to Nationals. For three years, Keigo honed his business skills, trained his body, and excelled academically. The Atobe Heir had become everything his business was, collected, responsible, loyal, and respected.

Singles two won; Hyotei would advance in the tournament.

Walking in the park with his teammats, Atobe was already looking forward to the next matches. Gakuto was yelling about something, and Jirou was being carried by Kabaji. The rest of the teams made way for them as they passed, until they passed Seigaku.

"Ochibi is coming back!"

"Hey Snake-face she's going to whoop you again!"

"I remember she beat you too, Peach-fuzz!"

"I must get new data."

Atobe's eye twitched at the intrusion, "Oi, what are you lot going on about?"

The antics of the blue and white team stopped to look at the voice.

Eiji was the first to break the silence, "Ne, ne, didn't you hear? Echizen is coming back!"

-xXx-

Echizen's return was all anyone spoke of for the next three weeks. Atobe heard whispers of her at every match, from his opponents, and even the street courts. She could go pro now if she wanted. She met and had a match with the US Olympic team. She was taller. She had signed a contract with Nike©. The rumors didn't stop there. Some of her old classmates speculated she had a boyfriend. She actually had grown her hair out, and no longer looked like a tomboy. Crazy, right?

Oshitari had run a search on the famed Princess and found that the internet was full of even more rumors. The only reliable information seemed to be that she had reclaimed her title as junior champion in America, and had competed at the international level.

There was no way that self-loving mouthy brat had become anything but a more spirited tomboy.

Keigo didn't see Ryoma for another two weeks. It seems she had truly returned, but had not participated in any matches or made a public appearance. Then, Hyotei met Seigaku in the Regional Tournament.

Hyotei had won the first two matches, but Seigaku was making a strong comeback. Each team was trying their hardest and the short break in between matches was not wasted.

The small click-click of heels interrupted their thoughts.

Momo gave a shout; Inui lost his composure; Fuji opened his eyes; Jiro woke up; Gakuto lost his gum; Kabaji's cheeks grew pink.

What the heck?

Walking down the stairs was a pair of smooth bare legs clad in small summer heels. A navy skirt and light yellow blouse completed the ensemble. As the figure got closers, Atobe could make out long, wavy locks and finally, he saw them - the distinct golden cat-eyes of one Echizen Ryoma.

After a torturously long amount of time, the prodigy reached the bottom of the steps. With a slight smirk that caused Atobe to give a hard blink, she said,

"Mada Mada Dane."


	2. Chapter 2

"What happen to Echizen?" asked a stunned Hiroshi as the rest of the tennis regulars sat at their usual lunch spot.

The match last weekend was still fresh in the minds of everyone simply for that reason.

What had happened to Echizen Ryoma?

The Echizen they knew as an arrogant brat with short hair that wore boys clothing and nothing but sneakers. This new imposter couldn't be her! Her hair was long. She was in a skirt that wasn't part of a school uniform. She was in heels for all that is holy! And she looked… good.

Seigaku ended up losing the match, but did anyone care? Not one bit. Because the Princess of Tennis was taking the courts by storm once again. Everyone knew of the famous rookie that defeated players twice her age and size. This time however, it wasn't just her tennis skills people were going on about. Half of the guys didn't even get to play her! The school board would not allow a girl to play on the male tennis team, and there was no female tennis team. That didn't stop her though. Ryoma managed to somehow obtain permission to still practice with the tennis team as a full member in exchange for not competing in actual competitions or matches. Schools now requested practice matches for a chance to see and play the famous female rookie. In fact, Rikkaidai had actually requested a practice match with the stipulation Echizen had to be allowed to play in the practice matches.

She could still evenly match Yukimura too.

Atobe took a sip of his water and looked up at the sky. He was going insane.

-xXx-

Echizen sat at her desk looking at her phone. It was lunch period and she had just received a text from Atobe Keigo of all people asking if they could meet for a practice match. Any other time and Ryoma would have said no, but the Regulars were away at a tournament and she was stuck doing nothing for the week. Normally, she would have no problem agreeing to a match. Things had changed though. Her mother and cousin talked to her about how the boys she knew would look at her differently now that she had "blossomed." They also gave her a few tips about how to avoid and defend against unwanted attention. Her teammates had been surprised, but a few well-placed words and her teammates had gone back to being the friends she knew. Most of the other teams treated her with respect, and those that didn't had to answer to Fuji and Yukimura. She quietly answered his text and returned to staring out the window.

-xXx-

The Regulars ended their meeting with a brief analysis of their upcoming opponents when Atobe's phone began to ring.

Surprised by the unfamiliar sound, the Regulars shot curious glances at their captain.

Unperturbed, Atobe grabbed his bag. "I have a meeting. Oshitari, please wrap things up today."

Atobe walked out to stunned silence.

He had been amazed when Echizen had replied positively to his text. The rail came to a stop, and the King of Hyotei confidently walked to the tennis courts. He couldn't help but think of the girl that had beaten him so long ago. She had even shaved all his hair off at one point! He just needed have a match with her to figure out which rumors were true.

And… he kind of missed the cocky freshman.

Looking ahead, he saw the familiar hair and red tennis racquet of the Princess. Her black tennis skirt and red polo had her name on the front. It was likely from a tournament. His eyes drank in the very sight of her down to the black sweat bands around her wrists. Her lips curved into a small smile.

"What took you so long, Monkey King?"

"Oi, I'm not a monkey king," Atobe deadpanned.

She flicked her hair away from her face and said, "Did you really just want to have a match?"

Startled he paused at her blunt answer, and then chuckled.

"Some things never change. I would like a match, but there are some things I hope you could clarify for me."

"Ignore all of the rumors. I'm not looking for Tezuka. I'm not _involved_ with anyone, much less my teammates. I only modeled for a photo shoot one time for my sponsors. I have _not_ been...

"Are you laughing?" she asked incredulously.

'It's been a long time since I've seen you, and I don't remember you being this much of a talker," the Atobe Heir teased.

"Whatever," grumbled Ryoma, "Are we doing this or what?"

-xXx-

The match had ended in a Ryoma's favor. Not to say Atobe did not put up a fight. They were evenly matched for a good portion of the game. Both of the exhausted young adults were lying down on the court breathing heavily. Faint orange rays stood out strikingly against the blue.

"I'm glad to see that some things never change," Ryoma whispered after she had caught her breath.

"What are you talking about? I almost had you beat," scoffed Atobe.

"Almost," said Ryoma shortly.

"Well, if you had just waited a little longer to make your appearance, I could have had more time to prepare. Besides, I just came from practice didn't I?"

Ryoma laughed loudly and rolled over to look at the King of Hyotei.

"I missed this," she said after a beat of silence.

"Playing in the US was great, but I've missed being in Japan and competing against all of you. Against friends. And people that take me seriously."

"What are you babbling about?"

"I know you've seen it Atobe. It's hard for people to take me seriously now with boobs until I wipe the floor with them. You guys always take me seriously from the get go. I'm glad."

Atobe was stunned at this small confession. He knew she'd be different, but this young woman before him wasn't as loud as the brat that left. She was more patient. She had learned some social graces. Her very presence had changed.

"I'm glad you're back," Keigo said solemnly.

Ryoma was sitting up now and smiling. She stood up and Atobe followed.

"Hello," she said sticking her arm out, "My name is Echizen Ryoma, and you can call be Ryoma."

Shaking her hand Atobe replied, "It's good to finally meet you Ryoma. You can call me Keigo."

And just like that, everything had changed.


	3. Chapter 3

Ryoma looked up from her homework and took out her mobile. There was another beep, and she read the screen. She knew something had changed in her relationship with Monkey King. She didn't even call him that anymore. She called him Atobe, sometimes Keigo. They saw each other regularly, even outside of their weekly tennis matches. They were friends.

The school year was almost over. Her seniors planning for university or whatever they had chosen after year 12, and Nationals was just the next thing on their to-do lists. She still had two years. Two whole years without her team mates and friends, without him.

This year had passed so quickly.

-xXx-

Atobe wiped his brow as he earned another love service game. His opponent looked concerned, but not concerned as she should have been for losing an entire round.

"What's the matter?" he asked cautiously while hopping over the net.

Ryoma said nothing for a while before turned to look at him.

"Do you think this shirt is okay?"

Floored by the question Atobe knew from his mother that this was a question in dangerous territory.

"What are you talking about? Did someone say something?" he pressed.

"You didn't answer the question," she replied softly.

Taking her by the arm, the King of Hyotei led her to the bench.

Grasping her hands in his, Atobe looked directly into the goldern orbs he had come to admire greatly, and said, "There is nothing wrong with your shirt, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with you."

Stunned into silence, Ryoma felt her cheeks getting warm as she forced herself to look away.

"Baka," she whispered.

The two tennis players sat there smiling, ignoring their sweaty clothes and the heat of the afternoon sun.

"Did someone say something to you?" Atobe asked again after a moment.

Blushing again, Ryoma looked at the ground as she said, "Momo-senpai asked why I wouldn't go get burgers with him after school… and one thing led to another and some…"

"I'm sorry; I didn't catch that last bit."

"…someone sort of said I shouldn't always be eating burgers if I wanted shirts that fit."

Atobe gave her hands a reassuring squeeze before letting out a loud laugh.

-xXx-

"KOSHIMAE! Play a game with me!"

Eyes widening in surprise at the sudden hug, Ryoma gave one look at Kintaro and replied, "Yada."

"But we haven't had a game for a long time!"

"Kintaro, we had a match earlier last week! The only reason it seems like a long time is because your captain is here for a meeting about Nationals."

Giving a small pout the Super Rookie of the West said, "We can but ice cream afterwards!"

"Fine."

As Kintaro ran screaming ahead in joy, Atobe raised an eyebrow at the two freshmen and said, "Koshimae?"

Straitening her clothes, the Super Rookie of the East glared.

"Shut up."

-xXx-

"I ran into Hime today! Lucky!" said a quickly approaching Sengoku. "Hime will you-"

Before he could finish that sentence a firm hand gripped his shoulder and held him back.

"One step further and you'll find yourself all out of luck," growled an irritated Atobe.

Ryoma gave a small smile to her companion as he let go of the red head's shoulder so they could continue walking. Sengoku blinked in confusion.

-xXx-

"Hyotei! Hyotei! Hyotei will win!"

"That never gets old."

"Gakuto, focus on the match."

"We're going to win anyway…"

"Ryo, that's not the attitude you should have."

"Jiro! Stay awake!"

"Chotaro, make sure Jiro is ready."

"Gekokujo."

"Hn."

The Hyotei tennis team continued to talk and bicker amongst themselves and Atobe just sighed.

'This never gets any easier, ne Kabaji?"

"Usu."

-xXx-

The trees shook gently in the breeze. Fuji and Yukimura sat in the shade with Yushi in respective school uniforms.

"The air is nice, isn't it?" hummed Fuji.

Oshitari nodded in agreement, not looking up from his novel.

"When do you think the others will realize it?" he asked.

"Now, now," said Yukimura serenely, "we can't spoil it for them. I think it will be much better when everyone finds out at…let's say Nationals."

"Saa… that's not very nice. But oh so interesting, indeed."

-xXx-

It was Tuesday when Seigaku and Hyotei found out their next encounter together would be in Nationals. This time, Atobe had traveled to Ryoma's side of the Tokyo to meet for their weekly match and milkshakes. He knew that this would be one of their last meetings before finals, since he would be too busy preparing his team. This was his last chance to win Nationals. His last chance to take his team to the top. His last chance to be together with all his friends playing tennis. Gripping his tennis bag more firmly, he walked towards the tennis court where Ryoma was waiting.


	4. Chapter 4

Ryoma sat on the bench in the park where Keigo and she met for regular matches. It was surprisingly empty today, and she was glad that there would be less people ogling and demanding their attention. The Regulars were all business with Nationals ahead so once again, she was alone. Her first year back in Japan was almost over, but she didn't want it to end. Her teammates were graduating and her friends were leaving. Sure, she made quite a few new friends, but it wouldn't be the same. What would happen to Keigo? He promised his parents he would focus on taking over the business, but tennis was an integral part of their relationship. They met through tennis. Became rivals and friends through tennis. Then, tennis introduced them to each other all over again. Would she be forgotten when he shut the door on the sport he loved so much?

Lost in thought Ryoma missed the footsteps approaching the bench she occupied. Suddenly, a deep voice called her name. Her chain of thought was broken as a familiar voice invaded her space. Slowly standing up, she faced the stranger.

"Buchou…" He stilled and the corner of his mouth raised at the only name she had ever called him.

"Hello Ryoma," said Tezuka. "It's been a long time…"

-xXx-

Atobe walked over to the bench Ryoma was sitting on. She appeared to be lost in thought and did not acknowledge him until he sat next to her. She shifted her gaze to meet his and he simply raised an eyebrow in question.

"I just met with Tezuka." That was not what he had expected.

The King of Hyotei felt his eyes widen slightly. He had heard rumors of his longtime rival possibly coming back, but this had confirmed it. His gaze sharpened when Ryoma once again ignored him in favor of her own thoughts. He pursed his lips and thought about what this meant. Did it mean anything at all? He respected the former captain of Seigaku greatly. Their rivalry was motivation to both of them, but Tezuka was one of the few others that could say they knew Ryoma like he did. Should he be concerned that her captain was back for a week and would be leaving the next? Would she see less of him now?

"Keigo." Ryoma had caught him lost in thought. How embarrassing.

"I'm sorry, you had mentioned you just met Tezuka."

Ryoma narrowed her eyes as he deflected the silent question. "Yes. I met him. We talked and he left. I told him I had a prior engagement."

Atobe relaxed a little at her words and glanced down at her. "I wish you would call me Keigo more often. Atobe is too formal."

Blushing slightly, Ryoma avoided his beautiful eyes and looked at the tennis courts instead. She picked up her bag and walked away from the Atobe heir.

Their time was short. They rallied a bit, and practiced some new moves since Ryoma knew Atobe would want to keep it light for the upcoming competition. Ryoma didn't want to burden the busy King, but she had to know.

"Ato- Keigo. What will happen after Nationals?" asked Ryoma bluntly.

Atobe stood next to her silently clenching his fists. "I don't know…"

The sound of the other players filled the silence between them.

"I know you'll be busy and that this will probably be our last time meeting until Nationals, but I wanted to tell you that just because you have to take over your family's company doesn't mean you have to give up what you love…" Ryoma took a short breath before continuing.

"And I will never forgive you if you ignore me!" Atobe looked at her stunned.

"You have been in a slump for the past month! I have graciously met with you this year and have come to look forward to our weekly matches, but if you decide to just give up now I will have wasted my time! You will train for Nationals with your team. You will make good memories. You will do your best. And when it's over, you _will _celebrate, graduate, and be happy. But most importantly, you _will_ have me right beside you playing tennis."

Atobe was taken aback by the sudden outburst. He hadn't seen Ryoma act like that since Momo and Eiji forced her into a skirt back in junior high. Ryoma looked slightly mortified that she had said _all _of that out loud, but it was short lived as she found herself pressed against a well chiseled chest. Naturally wrapping her small arms around his frame, she clung tight and refused to let this moment slip by her.

"Thank you for the words of encouragement," he said still hugging her. He gave that deep chuckle she loved before taking a step backwards.

"Echizen Ryoma. I will see you after Nationals."


	5. Chapter 5

Rikkaidai Fuzuko won Nationals. Yukimura and Sanada had a pulled an incredible team together and kept their strategy a secret weapon for the end of their school year. No one had seen it coming. Hyotei had faced off against Seigaku and lost to Rikkaidai in the finals. Ryoma had watched the entire thing from the bleachers amongst the shouts, cheers, and silence of the other onlookers. Both teams put their all into their matches. Kabaji had a particularly interesting match. However, the final bout was spectacular. Atobe knew that if he lost his match, then they would lose- one step away from the top. Ryoma had never seen him look so determined… and so defeated when he lost.

It was a respectable game, as everyone played to their best abilities. Seigaku, Hyotei, and the rest of the teams left as soon as it had ended. Ryoma had tried leaving messages, but Atobe refused to answer. It had been almost a week.

-xXx-

Atobe sank to his knees. He had let his team down and had failed to win. He vaguely felt Kabaji helping him to stand. He swallowed his pride, his sorrow, and his anger and nodded once to Sanada. It had been a good match. Bowing with the rest of his team, they ended the day. The ride back to school was somber, but Atobe made sure each of his teammates knew how well they had played.

_"I am honored to have played with you all. Even though we lost, Hyotei will continue to persevere. We will come back next year stronger than ever!"_

_"Hyotei! Hyotei! Hyotei will win!"_

School resumed and the tennis season was coming to an end. Atobe was preparing the papers for the next Regulars and working on making sure everything was ready for Hyotei to win again. He continued to train and perfected the team's training regime. He knew Ryoma would be calling him again, but he couldn't bring himself to answer the phone. He wouldn't know what to say.

His father and mother were ready for him to go to university and his calendar was filled with business meetings. The team had continued to meet, but the future still went unsaid.

He continued to run laps as the sun disappeared.

-xXx-

_It was the first day of the week and three days after Nationals. Ryoma figured she'd give Keigo until the end of the day to call or respond to her text. _

_He stared at his phone watching the screen light up and the text blink. He set his phone down and tightened the laces on his shoes._

_Ryoma barely contained a sigh as another day passed. She glared at her unresponsive phone before throwing it onto her bed._

_Keigo looked at his phone on the bleachers. He motioned for Kabaji to turn it off as he continued his meeting with Hiyoshi. _

-xXx-

It was coincidence when Ryoma and Keigo met again. Well, coincidence may be a bit of a strong word. Ryoma had been stalking his usual haunts for almost two days before she finally caught up with him in their usual park. He had been walking down the path when she saw him from the bench. He had his tennis bag with him, but upon closer inspection she saw he had yet to play. None of the other Regulars had followed him. Ryoma wanted to observe him more, but then she remembered she was angry, no furious, at her friend.

"ATOBE KEIGO!" Ryoma shouted as she started walking towards him.

"I don't know who you think you are, but when you ignore me after I specifically tell you not to, you must have a serious problem!"

Atobe ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair.

"Eh, Ryoma," he started, "how are you doing?" He looked around and noticed a few people staring at the tiny tirade in front of him.

"Don't give me that! We talked about this. We specifically talked about this." She paused and straightened her shirt. "You ignored my calls. I thought we were going to meet after Nationals and continue playing. The year is almost over and I have waited long enough."

Atobe watched as she continued to rant. He knew she'd been angry, but this was a little crazy.

"You're right," he said gently as she ceased her tirade. "I did promise, and I should have talked to you, but this was just something I had to do by myself and with my team. I did not mean to anger you."

Ryoma was still silently fuming, but took a deep breath and said, "You had a good game."

Atobe knew that was as good as an _'I'm sorry I yelled/you were being dumb/it really was excellent/I'm proud of you' _all rolled into one.

Ryoma looked at the Hyotei Captain out of her eye and asked, "Do you want to go out and get something to eat?"

An hour later, the two tennis players sat at the corner of a dessert café between their respective schools. They sat quietly sipping their beverages and watching people walk around the street.

"Are you ready?" Ryoma asked breaking the silence.

Atobe looked at his drink and had no doubt Ryoma was referring to his graduation and his future in university and his family business.

"Yes." And truly, he was. Atobe had squared away the tennis team and had been working on making sure they would be left in capable hands.

"It won't be the same without you," Ryoma half whispered. It was a loaded statement concerning his school, the team, tennis, and her life.

"When will you be leaving?" she continued.

"Probably two weeks after school gets out."

A slightly uncomfortable silence passed for a few moments as unfilled questions filled the air.

It was again, Ryoma that broke first.

"Keigo." She said staring seriously into his eyes. "What is this? What's going to happen?"

Atobe swallowed and looked away first. What did she want him to say?

-xXx-


	6. Chapter 6

Graduation was a grand affair at Hyotei. Atobe had managed to achieve top marks and had been accepted into Tokyo University, but would be spending two years at Oxford in England. His bags had been packed for weeks, and his mother kept trying to hug him, not wanting to believe he would be entering the real world soon. Atobe had worked closely with his father and had practically memorized the entire business front to back, side to side, and around the bend. He even knew at least half of the names of the employees in the main office. Glancing around at his friends and peers, he recalled his fondest memories with each of them. Oshitari met his eyes and gave him a small bow, before smiling and returning to talk with his parents. His other teammates made similar gestures of respect, which he returned wholeheartedly. His parents were talking to the principal. Everyone was celebrating and some parents were crying. But…

Where was she? Where was Ryoma?

The corners of his mouth turned down slightly. Had she decided not to come after all? His thoughts began to turn over every which reason, when he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. Whirling around with grace, he peered down into the wonderful golden eyes of his girlfriend.

"Congratulations, Keigo," Ryoma said happily.

'I'm glad you could make it," he returned.

There had been some debate with his parents and hers after that day in the café. He had simply been too stunned to respond coherently, and the look on her face was enough to make him never want to see it again. It was in that instant that he finally acknowledged he felt something_ more _for the Princess.

_'Ryoma…' Atobe began unsure of how to phrase the emotional whirlwind that was the happiness/joy/care/respect/admiration/pride that he had come to associate with Ryoma. _

_Apparently, he took too long to answer, as he saw Ryoma's eyes widen slightly before she stiffened, and her expression closed. She was crushed._

_'I thought…nothing. It doesn't matter.' _

_Atobe wanted to scream at her, because it did matter. It all mattered to him!_

_'Echizen, Ryoma,' he said again not wavering under her intense gaze. 'The first day I saw you, you called me "Monkey King." You were a short tomboy with enough arrogance for your entire team, and a mouth to match. You defeated every opponent until you had become so strong, I wasn't sure I would catch up with you. Then, you were gone. I focused solely on becoming the perfect heir and working with my team, but you came back like a force of nature. You couldn't be ignored. I know I'm leaving soon, and that you'll still be here in Japan, while I go off to study in some other country. I know you will never give up tennis, because it's part of you. I know you'll finish school and go off to play professionally and travel the world, and realistically, this…us… wouldn't work. But I care for you and I would be more than willing to try to make this work.'_

-xXx-

They had not immediately announced the change in their relationship in public or to their friends anyway. Instead, they preferred the privacy and kept meeting at their park for weekend matches and lunch dates. He met her parents (he had no idea one of his idols dressed like a monk, but it was an honor to have a match with him). She met his (his mother found her blunt attitude refreshing and had practically adopted her already). They still fought about small things, and Ryoma hated when Atobe would do something extravagant things for her, but grand gestures were just how he expressed himself. Atobe knew her subtle gestures spoke great volumes, and were usually much more expressive than the words that came out of her mouth. She knew he preferred Western food to Japanese food, but he always knew to surprise her with her favorite when she was feeling down. He liked colder weather (seasons of change), but he knew Ryoma liked warmer weather (tennis weather). Regardless of their small differences, things were going along well.

They had unintentionally announced their relationship to their peers last month.

A large number of Rikkaidai, Seigaku, and Hyotei Regulars had met at the courts for an unofficial match and a free game. Before long, everyone, including other schools, had joined in on the fun and they relished in their last opportunity to play together. Sanada was barking at his teammates that were causing a disturbance. Yanagi and Inui were comparing notes and talking about the university they would be attending together. Gakuto was chasing Eiji while Oishi chased the two of them. Eiji rounded a corner far from the courts when he found them _together_. He was talking quietly by the water fountains while she listened, bodies practically touching. Eiji screamed. The rest of the teams had come running, and were just as stunned as the acrobat player. The look on her teammates' faces and some of Rikkaidai's would entertain Atobe for months! He simply smirked at them and she rolled her eyes.

"Mada mada dane," she told them, before Atobe took her hand and they walked back to the courts.

-xXx-

He left for university much too quickly for his liking. His teammates had taken the time to make a small booklet of photos. There were photos from junior high, summer camps, high school matches, team parties, Nationals, and even one of their official team photos for school. The last photograph was far from something you'd see in a magazine or even the school newspaper, but it was perfect. Each one of his teammates looked perfectly content doing whatever suited them with Kabaji being the only one actually looking at the camera, but they were all happy. University life suited him well. His courses were challenging, but informative and to his liking. He had been surprised to discover how many other students were also from prominent Asian business families, but was eager to start building alliances soon. Although, breaking off from tennis was difficult. His classes were his first priority, but he found time to play occasional pickup games at the local tennis courts, and still trained as a tennis player. He followed the news in the tennis world and watched National matches. Tezuka was having a particularly good open season. The year ended quickly, and before he knew it, he was in England.

It had been two years since he had seen her.

-xXx-

'Four months,' Ryoma thought. 'It's only been four months since I last saw him.'

The princess of tennis was watching Momo and Kaidoh get into another argument about _something_. She had been playing manager for the team for a while, but still put down any unruly club members. Her tennis was making leaps and bounds again, despite the lack of competition. Once again, her sempais were getting ready to go off to university, and she had very little to do but focus on tennis; even more so since Keigo had left. She occasionally visited Rikkaidai, but honestly, she missed Sanada's presence. Probably, because he reminded her of her boyfriend.

The term was still unfamiliar for Ryoma. She and Keigo had been "official" (when Eiji found them) for maybe over half a year. Their last days together were sparse, but they were both dedicated to a long distance relationship. They preferred to send letters or emails since communicating via text was too confusing with the time zone differences. She knew he was busy, but so was she. Her father had stepped up her training and was anxiously hoping she'd enter more tournaments. She had planned to go back to the US next summer and compete again.

She finished the end of the school year with her sempais and had been training some promising younger students to manage the club and ensure Seigaku continued to be a nationally ranked team. Once Kaidoh and Momo graduated though, she knew it was time to leave. She had one last match with Kinatro before she told him.

_'Ne, Koshimae…You're leaving right?'_

_Ryoma nodded to her friend._

_'Wait for me. I will defeat you one day!' _

She spent her last year of high school in New York.

-xXx-

Two years. Two long years of training, tennis, school, and new experiences.

Ryoma had grown into a fine young woman and was quickly on her way to dominating the competition on the courts. She had been the youngest participant in the US Open in women's singles. She had become a national champion, no longer a junior champion. Her current goal was obtaining a Grand Slam title. She still occasionally wrote letters to Keigo, but they had become more infrequent during his time in England. They used to write every other week. Then, it became every month, and soon it was only the occasional update. In fact the only reason she had thought about writing to him at all was because she was playing in Wimbledon. It was hard for her to think about how much had changed. She knew he probably kept up with the news, but she didn't know if he was following her at all.

The plane landed on the tarmac.

-xXx-

The former Hyotei tennis captain, knew she would be here. He had been debating whether to come to Wimbledon and watch the tennis games with a few friends, but when he saw her name down as a participant, he knew he had to come. Time had not been kind to their relationship. However, the frequency of letters did not reflect how he felt about her. He missed her. He missed the way her eyes would light up during tennis matches. He missed seeing her gentle smile after going on a run. He missed her voice, her hugs, and her presence. He thought the being far away would lessen the feeling, but there was no denying it. He was in deep.

-xXx-

She played fiercely. Her style was unique and calculating. There were few players, men or women, that could match her level. She still managed to shock people by playing with both hands. She returned the ball with an outstanding smash. It was during a court change when she saw him. The perfectly styled hair and expensive jacket could belong to anyone, but those silver eyes. Those were his. It had been close to three years now. Their eyes met and his did not widen in surprise. In fact they showed determination, pride, and something she couldn't quite identify. He gave a small nod of his head and smirked. Ryoma blushed. He could still get that reaction from her after all these years. Spinning on her heels she went back to the match she was going to win.

She had won. In a few months she would return to the US to once again compete in the US Open, but this time, she was determined to win. Reporters and photographers surrounded her as she walked down from the small stage. She was tired, sweaty, and a little peeved at the attention, but she was also undeniably happy. She had won and he had seen.

Walking away from the crowd towards the locker rooms, Ryoma saw him leaning against the wall in the empty secluded hallway.

"Congratulations," he said.

She looked up at him and saw he had grown taller. His hair was a little longer, but he still looked like her Monkey King.

"Keigo."

"Ryoma."

They stood their looking at each other for what seemed like an infinite amount of time. Once again, they met, and everything had changed.


End file.
